Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-06-04
HERN STANDARD TENNEssEE-ATURDAY JUNE 1885,

er that a bee is not exactly "bug
with sting" as boy described
him, but a most intelligent little in
sect, as wonderfully and carefully
made in his way, as you are in yours.
He has a sting to be sure-and
most curious apparatus it is-but the
rest Of his "make up" isperhaps more
interesting.
A bee ISIS born honey-gatherer, the
joints of his legs are covered with
coarse hair, so that he may brush
from the flowers, the pollen which he
requires for food, into spoon-shaped
cavity designed for that purpose in his
thighs.
A bee returning home, its launches
laden with pollen, looks like miser,
making off with money bag under
each arm. The bee has also a Curl
ously complicated mouth, by means
of which he penetrates into the depth
of flower and laps up the honey. 1t
is not exactly correct to speak of the
working bee as che" it is in truth
neither male nor female. The true
male is thedrone-that idler, so much
despised by his companions that they
sting him to death to get rid of him;
and the true female is, as everybody
knows, the queen bee, who holds her
own right royalty.
One of the most remarkable traits
of the bee, is the care Of and affection
for the queen bee.
This fortunate little creature has
nothing to do but lay her eggs
and feed upon the "rOyal jelly" a
sweet, gummy substance, which is
constantly supplied her by her faith
full and Woodworking subjects.
She is not expected even to care for
her young; there are nurses, whose
sole duty is to provide for and protect
the growing family; but, like all high
stations, that of a bee queen has its
drawbacks. She is never allowed to
leave the royal cell, unless her services
are required to lead off a swarm,
which is rarely.
She spends the time of her confine-
ment in piping" which is a low,
complaining cry of distress. If a
hive, by accident. or otherwise, loses
its queen, the bees, in a body, choose
the larva of worker, which they
set to transform into a queen. This
is consideded one of the most remark
able and inexpicahle facts of bee life.
How the larva of a common bee,
sometimes only a couple of days
from its final development, can, by a
different food, different position and
different temperature, be transformed
into creature of different formation
and totally different instinct, is be-
You'd the ken of mortal man.
Of the intelligence of bees all have
heard. To believe it, it is only nee
essary to watch their movements, to
examine the wonderful formation
and regularity of their cells, which
sometimes, by their shape and irregu-
larity, require the solution of the
most complicated problems.
Bees have all the senses very keen {;
vision, in spite of their numerous
eyes, is the least perfect. The sense
of smell is very acute; it is by this
means that wild bees are captured;
they are very fond of the odor of an
mis-, and an open vial Of this, placed
in the open air, never fails to attract
them.
The reason ola bee losing its life
when it stings, is because its sting, be-
ing barbed, cannot be withdrawn,
once it is embedded in the object of
revenge; but bee, unless tormented,
will modest no one; and a queen bee
will be torn in pieces before using her
sting upon any one but a bee royal
like herself.